Wagon-brake.



PATBNTED OCT. 31, 1905.

C. 0. LONG. WAGON BRAKE. APPLICATION rum) rnn.1o, 1905.

q vi/bwemw W m UNIT D STATES PATENT orr on.

CALVIN CRAIG LONG, OF WASHINGTON, IOWVA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ASA EDGAR FORGEY, OF l/VASHINGTON, IOWVA.

WAGON-BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed February 10, 1905- Serial No. 245,061.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CALVIN CRAIG LoNe, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Washington, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wagon-Brakes, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in wagon-brakes, the object being to provide a simple form of brake-handle and means for locking the same and whereby the lever may be reversed by simply pushing it backward or may be removed when occasion may require it.

A further object is to provide means for preventing the parts from rattling, and another object is to prevent undue wear of the parts as much as possible.

INith these objects in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, Fig. 2 is a transverse section, and Fig. 3 is a detail.

A represents a segment adapted to be secured to the side of a wagon-box. This segment preferably has an offset upper portion, as shown at 1, and the upper curved edge of this offset is provided with the forwardly-projecting ratchet teeth 2 2. The notches between these teeth are preferably rounded, as-

shown at 3 3, and a deep notch 4 is formed at the rear end of these teeth, while a wedgeshaped formation is provided at the rear end of the segment to hold the parts of the lever against rattling, as well as to serve as a stop to prevent further backward movement of the lever. An inwardly-projecting stop 5 at the forward end limits the swing of the lever in that direction.

B indicates the lever, which is fulcrumed at its lower end upon a bolt 6 at the lower end of the segment, a curved slot 7, which extends diagonally of the lever, being provided as a means for receiving the bolt and permitting the latter to turn and slide more or less. The peculiar shape of this slot prevents the brake from coming unlocked, due to the jar and jolting of the wagon, which has been the trouble with other brakes of this type. The lever is provided with a leg 8,

which straddles the offset portion of the segment and travels in the space between the latter and the body of the wagon. This leg retains the lever in position against undue lateral vibration. A pawl 10 is pivoted, by means of a pin 11, in the crotch of the brakelever just over the offset upper portion of the segment. This pawl is so pivoted that it tends to drop automatically by gravity, and its lower operative end is rounded to engage and operate in the rounded notches between the teeth, and in this way the wear of the teeth and pawl is reduced to a minimum. The position of the pawl in the crotch is such relative to the enlarged wedge-shaped rear end of the offset portion of the segment that the pawl is held thereby in its normal position against rattling, and at the same time the lever is held upward and tight, with the lower end of slot 7 against its fulcrum, and prevented from rattling.

A rod 12 extends from the lever to the brake, this rod being pivotally connected with the lever at a point above the fulcrum, and the straining effect upon this rod and through the lever holds the lever down, with the upper end of slot 7 tightly against the bolt .6, thus preventing the lever from coming unlocked due to the jar and jolting of the wagon.

An extension C is used when the high box or bed is used. lVhen this is oflf, it is hung in the top of the bolster-stake, so it is always with the wagon.

In operation, to apply the brake the lever is pushed forward on its fulcrum, and when the pawl reaches the deep notch it is swung backward, henceforth dragging over the teeth, in position to engage one of the notches between them wherever the lever is stopped, so that it is not necessary to apply pressure longer upon the lever, it remaining locked until it is desired to force it back and release the brake. The rearward action of the brakelever may be said to be automatic, as it is simply necessary to pull it backward without lifting it. By giving a slight baclnvard pull it rises of its own accord on the pawl as a fulcrum, the rounded end of the latter turning in the rounded notch of the teeth-segment in which it rests. This raises the lever as far as the length of the slot at the lower end will admit, which is just far enough to permit the pawl to reverse itself, whereupon the lever is thrown backward until the wedge-shaped formation at the rear catches and stops it and holds it and the pawl against rattling.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the hand-lever may be removed at any time by simply removing the fulcrum-bolt 6 and taking the lever therefrom, there being nothing further to hold it in position upon the segment.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a wagon-brake, the combination with a segmenthaving teeth thereon and a deep notch adjacent to the teeth, of a brake-lever fulcrumed at the lower end of the segment and provided with a slot at the fulcrum, and a pawl pivoted to the lever and adagted to act as a fulcrum in the reversal of the lever in one of the notches between the teeth as a bearing.

2. In a wagon-brake, the combination with a segment having teeth at its upper edge arranged in the arc of a circle, and provided with rounded notches between them, of a lever having a sliding pivotal connection at a point concentric with the teeth of the segment, a pawl pivoted at one of its ends to the lever, with its free end rounded to turnin the rounded notches between the teeth and a rod pivoted to the lever between its fulcrum and the pawl.

3. The combination with a toothed segment having Wedge-shaped enlargement at the rear, of a brake-lever having an elongated curved slot at its lower end whereby it is fulcrumed upon a bolt or pin, and a pawl pivoted to the lever.

4. The combination with a toothed segment, the teeth of which project forwardly and have curved notches between them and a fulcrum pin or bolt at the center of the arc, of a handlever having a curved diagonally-disposed slot which receives the said pin or bolt, a rod pivoted to the lever adjacent to the slot, and a pawl pivoted at one end to the lever and rounded at its free end to turn in the curved notches between the teeth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CALVIN CRAIG LONG. WVitnesses:

DANIEL IVILDE, E. JARVIS. 

